“I just hope other nations follow suit. There’s still around 97% of the Pacific in which sharks are unprotected. Unregulated, non-sustainable fishing outside shark sanctuaries will continue to reap its toll on these ocean wanderers.”

To put it into context, the protected area is about eight times bigger than the UK.

Under the new bill, commercial shark fishing and any trade in shark products will be banned. Also, any fish caught accidentally must be released back into the sea alive.

The Marshall Islands follow the lead taken by Palau and the Bahamas to ban shark fishing and create sanctuaries.

These magnificent creatures are hated because we fear them. It's about time we learnt to love them. They have an important role to play in the ocean and have just as much a right to live as other species.

Having said that, I have to admit to catching a common black tip reef shark when we sailed down the Red Sea. But we did eat it, along with tuna, barracuda and Spanish mackerel, so I don't feel so bad. Looks like I won't be trolling any lines when we eventually reach the Marshall islands.